El Clasico dates announced - Will Suarez be available for Barcelona ?

As the El Clasico fixtures were revealed for the 2014/15 season, even the greatest scriptwriters among us could not have imagined the sub-plot about to prevail.

Real Madrid and Barcelona will face each other firstly at the Bernabéu on 26th October and 22nd March at the Nou Camp, as they are once again set to lock horns for the La Liga title.

But the date of the first fixture carries a little more significance than usual, and that it thanks to a certain Luis Suarez.

Suarez was banned by FIFA for four months following his alleged bite on Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup, with his suspension going right to the wire in his bid to be available for El Clasico.

So here are the permutations. If Real Madrid v Barcelona remains scheduled for Sunday 26th October, the Suarez can make his Spanish league debut, on the first day that his ban expires.

But, and it is a big but, should La Liga officials move the game for television purposes, it could jeopardise Suarez’s eligibility. The game being moved to the previous night, Saturday 25th October, would rule Suarez out of the fixture, with it being the last day of his ban.

The game remaining on the Sunday or being switched to the Monday (28th) as it has done in recent years, both mean Suarez is available to play.

The Uruguayan’s arrival from Liverpool has set El Clasico up for a stunning array of talent being put on show. A likely Suarez, Messi, Neymar front three would go up against a Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema trio, with the likes of Toni Kroos, James Rodriguez and Luka Modric in behind.

Dan Connor

Dan is a sports journalism undergraduate from Barry, South Wales. He is a club journalist at West Bromwich Albion and a weekly writer for The Independent’s sport section. Previous work for BBC Sport, BBC Radio and Manchester United has seen Dan cover a range of sport such as rugby union, tennis and Formula One. His expertise lies in Welsh football, in particular with Cardiff and Swansea City.